Apparatus for coating wire



Nov. 16, 1937. Q. A. MONAMEE APPARATUS FOR comma WIRE Filed Nov. 25, 1956 :5 Sheets-Shet 1 .FQJ.

hwnfor: I OWEN ,4. M- /Vfi/WEE,

APPARATUS FOR COATING WIRE l .5/ we h WP IA II/A Nov. 16, 1937. -o. A. M NAMEE APPARATUS FOR COATING WIRE Filed Nov. 25', 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet} Inventor OWEN ,4. M NQMEE,

Patented Nov. 16, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFICE aosazrc APPARATUS FOR COATIING WIRE Owen A. McNamee, Worcester, Mass.

Application November 25, 1936, Serial No. 112,832 3 2 (01. 117-40) This invention relates to an apparatus for coating wire.

In the manufacture of electrical wiring which is intended for subjection to high temperatures, considerable dlfllculty has been experienced in providing a proper protective coating. Taking locomotive headlight wire as an example, the high temperature of the boiler necessitates an effective heat-resistant coating, such as asbestos. It is,

therefore, highly desirableto provide an electrical conductor wire which is first coated with asbestos fibers and then saturated with a waterproof material, such as asphalt, after which it u may be encased in a braid or other suitable covering.

It is, accordingly, among,the objects of the present invention to provide an apparatus for coating wire which may be efficiently employed to rapidly deposit an effective heat-resistant fiber coating on electrical wiring; after which it may be treated in any manner well known in the art.

The foregoing and other objects will become apparent after referring to the drawings, in which:

a Figure 1 is a plan of a preferred form of apparatus;

Figure 2 is a sectional view on the line 11-11 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view on the line III-III of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line IV- of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a sectional view on' the line V-V of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a sectional view on the line VI-VI of Figure 1.

7 Figures '1 and 8 are fragmentary sectional views of details.

The numeral 2 designates a frame which carries a rotatable spindle 3 having a 'central longitudinal aperture 4. This rotatable spindle 3 carrles a circular plate 5 which has a central aperture 6 in alignment with the aperture 4 of the former. A gear I is secured to the rotatable spindle 3 and is driven by an adjacently disposed gear 3 which deriveslts rotation from any suitable source. In this manner both the spindle 3 and circular plate 5 are rotated.

The circular plate 5 carries a rotatable shaft l0 which extends from both sides thereof and has a gear l2 secured to its end adjacent the frame 2, This gear |2 meshes with a stationary gear l3 which is secured to the frame 2. The end of the rotatable shaft l0 which extends from the other'side of thecircular 'plate 5 has a gear l5 secured thereto.

The circular plate 5 carries on its side adjacent theframe 2 shafts, as shown at H, l8, l9, and 20, which are geared together by their respective 5 gears 2|, 22, 23, 24, the last three being considerably smaller than the gear 2| on the shaft l'l. This gear 2|, besides meshing with the gear 22 on the shaft I8, also meshes with the gear l5 on the shaft I 0. The gears 22 and 23 are merely i0 idler gears serving to rotate the gear 24 and shaft 20, as will be explained.

The rotatable shafts l1 and 20 carry contacting carding rolls 25 and 25, respectively. These contacting carding rolls 25 and 25 are, of course, provided with the usual card teeth.

A series of rotatable shafts 30, 3|, and 32 are mounted on the side of the circular plate 5, which is opposite the frame 2, in the manner of the previously mentioned rotatable shafts ll, I8, I9, and 20. These shafts 30, 3|, and 32 are geared together by their respective gears 35, 36, and 31. The gear 35 on the shaft 30, besides meshing with the gear 36 on the shaft 3|, also meshes with a gear 38 which is, like the gear 2|,

secured to the shaft I1. This shaft I1 is, as before stated, rotated through its gear 2| by the gear IS on the shaft III, the latter being driven through its gear |2 by the stationary gear I3 on the frame 2. A

An idler shaft 40 is mounted on the side of th .circular plate .5 which is opposite the frame 2 between the shafts 20 and 32. This idler shaft 40 carries a carding roll 4| which is provided with the usual card teeth.

Referring to Figure 2 of the drawings, it will be noted that the card teeth of the carding roll 25 are in contact with the card teeth of the carding rolls 25 and 4|; also, that the card teeth of the carding roll 25 are in close proximity to the 'cen- 40 tral aperture '6 in the circular plate 5; and that all of these carding rolls are substantially spaced from the circular plate.- The circular plate 5 carries, on its side opposite the frame 2, a spool pin on which there is carried a cone 46 of' 45 asbestos roving. The shaft 32, on which the gear 31 is mounted, also carries a rubber feed roll 41 which directs the asbestos roving from its spool pin 45'onto the card teeth of the carding roll 4| on the shaft 40. As the carding rolls 4|, 26 and 50 25 are rotated, the asbestos roving is carded and delivered progressively onto the carding roll 25 which presents it to the central aperture 6 in the circular plate 5. The shapes and relative speeds ofthe' carding rolls 4|, 26, and 25 are to the circular plate 5, on its side opposite the frame 2. This cross-frame 53 extends between the circular plate and the addacent sides of the carding roll 25 and is centrally apertured in alignment with the aperture 6 in the circular plate. Wire X is drawn, by suitable means, through the aperture 4 in the spindle 3, central aperture 6 in the circular plate 5, and the aligned aperture 54 in the spaced cross-frame 53, moving in the direction of the arrow of Figure l.

The circular plate 5 carries, on its side opposite the frame 2,-a rotatable shaft 55 to which there is secured a gear 56. The extended end of the .rotatable shaft 55 extends through the crossframe 53 and carries an eccentric 51 on the opposite side thereof. A rock-shaft 59 is intermediately journaled on the eccentric 51 in such manner as to present one of its ends in close proximity to the aperture 54 in the spaced crossframe 53. This end of the rock-shaft 59 carries a series of picker teeth 60., the series being substantiall equal in length to the width of the adjacent carding roll 25. The other end of the rock-shaft 59 is slotted, as at 62, 150 accommodate a pin 65 which is secured to the adjacent side of the spaced cross-frame 53. j

A small electric motor 65 is secured to the circular plate 5, on its side opposite the frame 2, and carries a pinion 66. This pinion 66 meshes with an idler gear 68 which is carried by a shaft 69, the latter being likewise mounted on the circular plate. This idler gear 68 also'meshes with the gear 56 on the shaft 55 which, as before stated, carries the eccentric 51.

On its side adjacent the frame 2, the circular plate .5 carries a pair of electrical collector rings III which receive current from a. pair of fingers H that are carried by the frame I. These fingets II receive current from any suitable source. The small electric motor 65 receives current from the collector rings II by means of wires 12.

Upon driving the small electric motor 55, the

rock-shaft 59 is eccentrically rocked and moved toward andaway from the carding roll '25, whereby its series of picker teeth 50 are forced into the ears teeth 01' the latter and withdrawn with a forward scooping motion which clears the asbestos fibers from this carding roll and deposits them on the wire X.

The spaced cross-frame 53 carries a longitudinally extending curved wiper 15 adjacent its aperture 54 for smoothing the asbestos fibers deaooaavo posited by the series of rock-shaft 59.

Referring to Figures v1 and 6, it will be noted that, as the wire X carrying the deposited asbestos fibers moves from between the series of picker teeth and curved wiper15, it advances into a conventional forming head, generally indicated at I8, which serves to further compact the fibers. From the forming head It the wire X advances into a conventional ironing head 80 which further compacts and irons the asbestos fiberspreparatory to the coating step. The forming head 18 and ironing head 80 may, 'if desired, be rotated in any suitable manner.

While I have shown and described one specific embodiment of my invention, it will'be understood that I do not wish to be limited exactly thereto, since various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of my invention, as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for applying fibrous insulating material to an electrical conductor comprising a rotary head, said rotary head having an axial opening through which said electrical conductor passes, a spool of fibrous insulating material car ried by said rotary head, carding'means on said rotary head for applying said fibrous'insulating material to said electrical conductor, means on picker teeth on the said rotary head for assisting the removal of said rotary head, said rotary head having an axial 'opening'through which said electrical conductor passes, a spool of fibrous insulating material carried by said rotary head, carding means on said rotary head for applyingsald fibrous insulating material to said electrical conductor, means on said rotary head for assisting the' removal of said fibrous insulating material from said carding' means and-onto said electrical conductor, drivlng means actuating said carding means during the rotation'of said rotary head, independent means for actuating said assisting means, and means carried by and movable with said rotary rial after its application to .said electrical conductor. QWEN'A. MGNAMEE.

head for smoothing the fibrous insulating niate- 

